We had a bunch of cabbage come out of the backyard this 12 months. I principally made one factor with it, a feathery slaw comprised of shredded inexperienced and crimson cabbages, apples, carrots, and scallions tossed with a spicy sesame dressing. In the event you’ve ever had asparagus or spinach goma-ae at a Japanese restaurant you’ll acknowledge the inspiration for the dressing. Toss all of it collectively, and you have an ideal slaw in your fingers. It is a slaw that’s good by itself. It’s nice on tacos. It’s good as a aspect to soba noodles. I’ve even thrown a couple of large scoops in a bowl of brief pasta with a couple of chickpeas and referred to as it lunch. Prep an enormous bowl and revel in it for days.
The Key to Nice Coleslaw
I am humorous about how I like my coleslaw, and it is all about knife abilities. I talked about it at size after I posted this Lime & Blistered Peanut Coleslaw years again, and it applies right here as nicely. I just like the cabbage to be chopped skinny. I prefer it every chew to be feathery versus coarse or chunky. My feeling that an ideal coleslaw recipe is created with good knife abilities and a brief record of easy-to-find components stands all these years later. Equal significance being positioned on each components and the lower of the cabbage.
Spicy Sesame Coleslaw Dressing
The bottom of this coleslaw is fairly easy – cabbage, scallions, carrots, cilantro, and apple. The dressing is the place issues get attention-grabbing right here. The dressing is creamy sesame deliciousness accented with a jolt of sriracha (or no matter spicy part you want), and a balancing squeeze of contemporary lime juice. The dressing coats all of the slaw components and brings it collectively.Â
There are a couple of methods to grind the sesame seeds on this dressing. I have a tendency to make use of my suribachi, a ridged Japanese grinding bowl. You may as well have at it in a standard mortar and pestle, or a couple of pulses in a meals processor (or blender) will even do the trick. You could have choices!

This is the way it seems to be because the dressing comes collectively, it is creamy, taste wealthy, and the right consistency to coat your slaw. You may make it as spicy (or not) as you want. Additionally, professional tip right here, I all the time make double the dressing and use it all through the week.Â

Making ready Spicy Sesame Coleslaw Elements
Above you may see the slaw components previous to dressing. Apart from slicing the apple, you may put together the entire components and the (sesame coleslaw dressing) a day or two earlier than serving. I like to present the sliced apple a shower in lemon or lime juice simply earlier than tossing to maintain them from discoloring. You may see that within the recipe directions so heads up on that entrance. You may get a soar begin on the remainder of the shredding and chopping forward of time.Â
Extra Concepts
I wished to spotlight a couple of of the methods I’ve loved this coleslaw in earlier weeks. I actually put in on, in, or underneath the whole lot round right here and it’s a bit uncontrolled. You may see tofu marinating up above, I wish to take that and cook dinner it rapidly in a skillet. Serve the tofu over the coleslaw with a aspect of soba noodles. A variety of the time I’ve some tofu marinating, so when I’ve this coleslaw within the fridge, boiling some soba turns this right into a tasty ten minute meal – see picture beneath. Let me know in order for you me to jot down up this intimately. Glad to.
Okay, here is the opposite manner I wish to benefit from the spicy sesame coleslaw on repeat. You see it pictured beneath. It is a taco state of affairs. That marinated tofu up above? I deal with it “fish taco-style” the place it’s dusted with a little bit of cornstarch after which pan-fried till it will get a crispy crust. This is how the taco is assembled. Apply a skinny layer of smashed avocado on a tortilla. Add a layer of well-cooked tempeh bacon (Wayne buys the Lightlife Smoky Tempeh Bacon), after which a few of the cooked tofu. Brown the (crammed) tortilla on each side till golden. Instantly fill with numerous coleslaw, and I like just a little additional inexperienced salsa as nicely. My favourite lunch proper now!Â

This is another view of the taco + coleslaw state of affairs from a barely completely different angle so you may actually get a way of what’s occurring inside. My important recommendation is do not skip on the coleslaw. I actually load it up.

Coleslaw Recipe Shortcuts
I’ll end with a couple of shortcut ideas right here. As I point out up above you are able to do many of the prep for this recipe every time you may have a second or two. I sometimes make a double batch of the dressing so it’s prepared within the fridge for me. Then all you could do is a little bit of chopping, grating, or shredding, and also you’re good to go. I like at hand lower the cabbages right here, so it’s simply to my liking, however past that you’ve choices. If in case you have a grating attachment in your meals processor, you need to use that for the carrots, apples, and scallions. It undoubtedly makes fast work issues. Alternately you need to use the massive aspect of a field grater for the carrots and apples. I sometimes use a knife for the whole lot (to keep away from extra dishes lol), however go along with no matter you want.Â
If this is not your fairly what you are after, browse these different salad recipes, or do that Lime & Blistered Peanut Coleslaw, or this glorious Cucumber Salad, or this Shredded Egg Salad.